Chapter 8
Isis stood, looking out into the seeming nothingness of space, her mind spinning.
"Aye," she answered Krstar, "I accept. I must!" But how am I to do it? She asked herself.
Krstar was, apparently, a telepath.
"Look inside yourself," he said gently answering her unspoken question. "There your answer will be."
Isis thought hard. How could she give life to a star? To make something live she would have to start from the beginning, at the moment of creation. But she was not called to create a star: to ignite it out of nothingness. No, she was called to birth a star, or to guide one as it was being born. The elements had to already be present. They just needed ignition.
She turned and looked at the great Krstar.
"May I view the Star Amulet for a moment?"
He nodded solemnly and suspended it between them, keeping a close eye on her all the while.
Isis stared at the Amulet. It was silver, and shaped like a swirling galaxy with a large, sparkling moonstone at the center. Four silver points came out of the top, bottom, and sides of the galaxy swirl. She peered closely at it. The top and side points of the amulet were spotless, but the bottom spike seemed tarnished somehow: stained.
Stained with blood.
Isis looked briefly at her body. She had so many scars now from Sciotha's torture that it seemed useless to fine just one. She scratched randomly at one palm, pausing when her nails caught on a ridge she had not before noticed.
There was a scar in the palm of her hand. It was unlike anything Sciotha had done to her: almost dainty, as if from the same wound over and over again…
Isis seized the Amulet suddenly, catching Krstar by surprise, and stabbed the bottom point deep into the palm of her own left hand.
As the life-giving blood pooled in her hand, a cloud of what looked like dust floated nearby. She peered closer at it, then realized it was a nebula: stardust. She waved the pool of blood through it.
Isis closed her eyes and thought hard about what she knew about magic. The University's books had told her little. Would it be enough? She looked deep inside herself.
I am not the human Isis Knite, she thought to herself. I am not a mutant freak. I am Isis, the goddess of the stars, daughter of Diana goddess of the Moon and Heimdall All-Seeing god of Asgard.
Something sparked inside of her at those words.
I am wife to Loki of Asgard, god of Fire, Magic, and Mischief.
Something deep in her belly began to burn.
My sister is Saffron, the Solar Flare: Radiant Fire-Surfer.
The Star Amulet began to glow at the Moonstone's center.
Her eyes snapped open.
"I AM ISIS! DAUGHTER OF DIANA AND HEIMDALL! WIFE OF LOKI! SISTER OF SAFFRON! IGNITER OF THE STARS! AND I WANT TO GO HOME!"
Krstar smiled.
"I call upon the elements to help me in this magic work: air, fire, water, and earth! COME TO ME!"
Bright lights of yellow, red, blue, and green formed and swirled in front of her now-open eyes. The lights settled into the blood that pooled in her hand.
"I call on the magic of spirit, to bind it as one!"
Isis inhaled deeply, and then blew gently on the pool of blood, giving it her own life's-breath. The pool began to glow and spin in her hand. A ball of light formed: dancing and swirling pools of energy. She gasped then blew on the life-giving energy once more, sending it floating into the vast darkness before her.
The energy ball continued to writhe and dance as it floated to the depths of the great nebula before it, until it joined the bulk of the dark core that twitched at its center. The energy ball accelerated, drawn by the gravity at the dark star's well, until it impacted the core's outer shell and penetrated it. Sparks expanded outward from the little energy ball as it was consumed-a fire-starter to kindling-a sperm to an ovum-igniting life where there had been only darkness.
The star pulsed, sparked, rotated, and began to glow blue-white with fresh life: a new sun.
Isis sighed, and found a few small tears at the corners of her eyes. Wiping them away she turned to the great Krstar and handed the Star-Amulet back to him.
"I have done as you asked. Have I proved to you that I am the goddess of the stars?"
"Yes, young goddess: you have," the great man said. He shook his head and expanded back into his dragon form. "More importantly, you have proved it to the Star Amulet, and yourself. Climb on my back, and I shall return you to the Earth."
Isis climbed onto his back. When she was seated again Krstar took flight. The stars flew past them with great speed, but Krstar took a moment to circle the new blue-white sun.
"I wonder what I should call it," Isis mused.
"It is not time to name it yet," Krstar answered. "It needs to grow a bit first."
When they landed, and after Isis slipped off of his back, Krstar gave the Star-Amulet to Heimdall.
"She is ready, Gate Keeper," the great dragon intoned, bowing. "She has passed the test, though the children of this world will not see her work for many centuries."
"Thank you, Krstar," Heimdall said as he accepted the amulet from the great dragon. He held it out, away from his body, and stepped behind Isis. "Are you ready, my daughter?"
Isis smiled and nodded. "Yes, father, I am ready to remember my life."
"Shalt do more than remember, I deem," Heimdall said deeply. As he clasped the silver chain around her neck a ray of moonlight struck the moonstone at the amulet's center.
A bright light surrounded her body and lifted her into the air. A flash of silver light hid her body from all eyes but that of Diana and Heimdall.
Isis's mind lit up. It was as if light penetrated every cell of her being, and her old life flashed into existence within her. She saw her childhood with Diana, tending the stars and the nebula in space. She saw the first time she met Loki, the way they fell in love, their wedding day, the ways they had cavorted in Asgard.
She saw the day Sciotha the Jotun threw her to Earth.
Isis opened her eyes. She could feel the energy of space fill and heal her. Her clothes shined like the moon, reflecting the light from her body, which glowed and pulsed like a newborn star. A tiara of stars rested momentarily on her brow, and the Star Amulet pulsed one more time.
As her body slowly lowed to the ground, Isis heard a soft voice crying. She turned and saw her foster mother standing at the edge of the field. Mrs. Knite was weeping.
"I knew you were special," she said hoarsely, "when the lady in white came to me in my dream. It was the night we brought you home from the hospital. She asked me to watch over you and keep you safe." The older woman swallowed with difficulty. "I thought she was your guardian angel."
Diana spoke up first. "No, dear friend," she said kindly. "You and your husband were her guardian angels. You did well raising and caring for her when I could not, and for this I thank you."
Elizabeth Knite looked at Diana and blinked.
"You! You are the woman in white from my dreams."
Diana looked at her and smiled. "Yes, I am," she nodded.
"Please," Elizabeth asked, "might I please know your name?"
Diana smiled again and gave Elizabeth a low bow, with a hand over her heart.
"I am Diana, goddess of the moon: I am Isis's birth mother. This gentleman with me," she motioned to the tall dark Asgardian with her, "is Heimdall All-seer, her father."
Elizabeth looked at Saffron, a little overwhelmed.
"Did you know about this?"
Saffron nodded her head. "Yes ma'am, I did. But I was not permitted to speak of any of it. There was powerful magic at play."
Elizabeth only looked more confused.
"Saffron…is that really your name?"
Saffron nodded.
"So, are you…like her?" She pointed to Diana, "or are you human like me? And who are the rest of these people?"
Elizabeth's growing hurt and confusion showed on her face, so Loki stepped forward. He took her hands in a comforting gesture.
"I am Loki, god of mischief and fire from Asgard; I am Isis's husband. Thank you, dear lady, for looking after my lady-wife." He kissed her chastely on the hand and stepped back.
Thor stepped forward and placed his right fist over his heart. "I am Thor, of Asgard: the god of thunder. I am Loki's brother."
Halastjarna stepped forward and bowed her head. "I, my lady, am Halastjarna, goddess of the shooting star, sister to Diana, and aunt to Isis."
Saffron looked Elizabeth in the eyes with sorrow. "No, Mrs. Knite. I am not human, even as the rest of my family is not. I am Saffron Star, daughter of Ra, the Egyptian god of the sun. I am also the Egyptian goddess of fire, and half sister to Isis, goddess of the stars. I have known the truth of Isis the whole time, even when she did not, but could not say anything to anyone. I am sorry, Mrs. Knite, for not telling you all of this, but I could not. As I said, there was powerful magic at play. I would have told you if I could."
Isis looked at her adopted mom and took her hand. "It is late," she said, "let us go back to the house and talk. This is a long story, and it is going to take some time to tell."
Mrs. Knite nodded, but she looked a little shell-shocked, so Isis drove with her in her car, while Saffron drove Diana and Halastjarna in the other vehicle they had brought. Heimdall, Thor and Loki traveled invisibly, in their own ways, to give the ladies some space.
By the time they got back to the house Mr. Knite was home from work, and frantic at the disappearance of his wife. When the crowd of Asgardians and Kemetians came into the house with Elizabeth and Isis he looked up in shock. Alarmed at the sight, he jumped up and grabbed a gun from a kitchen drawer, then threw himself between his wife and foster-daughter and Loki.
"Elizabeth! Isis! Run! Don't you know who that is? Get out of the house!"
Isis stepped forward with her hands up.
"Papa," she said, "it's ok. Put the gun down; they are not here to harm anyone."
He looked at her as if she were crazy.
"Are you under some kind of mind control? He tried to take over the world! Run!"
Isis sighed. "Dad, please put the gun down. I'm not under any kind of mind-control: not anymore. Loki is not here to hurt anybody. Put the gun down, and I will tell you what is going on and why he, and everybody else, are here."
Elizabeth stepped forward. "It is alright, Paul. Please just listen."
Paul Knite slowly lowered the gun but kept it in his hand.
"I won't put it away," he said cautiously, "but I won't point it at anybody without reason. I have to protect my family. Understood?" He glared knowingly at Loki, who held up his hands placating.
"You are a brave man," Thor rumbled, "to stand so against any who would threaten your family. Blessed be the powers that chose you to protect Isis when she fell!"
"Nice touch," Loki murmured.
"Thank you, brother," Thor murmured back.
"Ok, now. If the Testosterone club is finished, can we all just sit down? I will explain everything," Isis softly said.
It was a long tale. Isis spared the Knites no details: she told them about her heritage, about Asgard and her marriage to Loki, her kidnapping and bewitchment by Sciotha that led to her life with them. She told them about meeting Saffron at college, her dreams, and her second kidnapping and torture, and the upcoming battle with the Jotun sorcerer Sciotha.
Elizabeth started to cry at the thought of her foster-daughter's torture, and she hugged the girl tightly. Many eyes in the room were moist. Paul put the gun back in the drawer safe and hugged Isis tightly, then went to his wife and pulled her gently to his chest.
He looked up into Loki's eyes and his voice was hoarse.
"You had better take good care of our baby girl. We love her with all our hearts," he rasped. He looked up at Heimdall and Diana and bowed his head. "Thank you for trusting us to take care of your child. We loved her as if she was our own. I hope you know that."
Dianna smiled.
"It is I who should thank you for taking such good care of her. You are both still young; you may yet have one to call your own," she said kindly.
Elizabeth looked up from her husband's chest and shook her head.
"I cannot bear children," she sniffled. "There is something wrong with me that our doctors cannot treat. That is why we became foster parents."
Dianna smiled sadly and nodded.
"I know your pain," she said, patting Elizabeth's hand. "It is known throughout the galaxy. Perhaps, as recompense for helping our daughter, I can help you in like style. We shall speak again on this, I so swear." Bending down, she hugged Elizabeth as she would a sister, and her eyes were wet.
Loki took Isis by the hand.
"It is time, my love," he said knowingly.
Isis nodded, walked over to her foster parents, and hugged them tight. Two tears coursed down each cheek.
"I love you," she said, sniffling. "Thank you for everything. I will never forget you."
Paul Knite looked at Loki pointedly and folded his arms over his chest.
"One thing, God of Mischief. If you hurt Isis in any way I will hunt you down and kick your ass, do you get what I am saying!"
Heimdall threw his head back and laughed. "A father truly! I said the same thing to Loki on the day they wed! Well met, my friend!" He slapped Paul on the back in a friendly manner.
Loki, now surrounded by two fathers-in-law, threw up his hands in surrender and nodded.
"I understand! Worry not, Isis shall come to no harm from me!"
The crowd all gradually took their leave from the Knite home. Each immortal pressed a token of some sort into the Knite's hands or over their necks and hugged them, then finally disappeared in one way or another from the back yard. Isis and Loki were the last to go, for Isis could not bear to leave without one last embrace from Elizabeth and Paul. Loki handed them each a green jewel.
"Bind this into any form of jewelry you wish, but keep it with you," he said. "If you are in danger, it will protect you and summon help."
With that final word, Loki wrapped his arms around Isis, and they disappeared.
They touched down, finally, within Loki and Isis's own sitting chamber. Dianna, Saffron, and Halastjarna were already there, waiting for them with a tray of tea and scones. After the happy couple arrived Loki excused himself, and the four women sat and talked in Loki and Isis's chambers for an hour.
Loki and Thor stood back and let the four catch up on time lost, but stayed out of sight. Dianna and Halastjarna finally stood and hugged Isis, and made it plain to Saffron that they should take their leave. The young goddess looked mutinous, but Diana gainsaid her.
"Your sister and her husband need some privacy, beloved. We should not delay in giving it to them, and I believe someone here wishes to speak with you alone, as well." Diana nodded knowingly at Thor, who stood silently behind Loki.
Saffron had the grace to smile and take her leave of Loki and Isis with those words.
Loki walked to Isis and embraced her.
"Are you ready to sleep now, my love? We should be abed," he said tenderly.
Isis looks up into his eyes and nodded coyly.
"Yes, my love, I am ready to go to bed, but sleep is not what I had in mind."
She smiled and kissed him once, softly, on the lips, then with greater passion, and slowly walked away from the now shocked god. Isis said goodnight to Thor and Saffron as she walked into the sleeping chamber. Their only reply was a knowing look in Loki's direction.
Loki said a hurried 'Good night' to Thor and Saffron and barred the door to their chambers, and then shook himself and made chase.
Thor and Saffron laughed at Loki's shocked look as the door was shut in their faces.
"God of sex indeed," Thor chuckled. "One would think him to be an untested lad, the way Isis plays him. May I walk you to your chambers, Lady Saffron?"
Saffron sighed. "Thor, I feel we shall see a lot of each other, so please drop the 'Lady' stuff and just call me Saffron. I have spent enough time on Midgard for such formality to become awkward." As she spoke to him, Saffron slowly moved closer to Thor, until they were separated by little more than a hairsbreadth.
Thor slipped one hand gently down her face and brushed her lips with his thumb.
"As you wish…Saffron," he said deeply. He sat down on one of the benches and pulled her to into his massive arms.
Their lips had just brushed each other's when a bright flash startled them. As the light faded Ra stood before them, scowling deeply. He looked at the pair-Saffron nearly on Thor's lap-and scowled even deeper. Ra reached out, grabbed his daughter by the arm, and hauled her off of Thor.
"Daughter," he growled, "I do not approve of this behavior. This Asgardian is not the best match for you."
Thor stood up and nodded respectfully to Ra.
"I did neither dishonor nor harm to her, Lord Ra," he protested, "nor will I ever do such."
Ra snorted. "I will not stand for my child to be another knot in your belt, Prince Thor! I will not have you break Saffron's heart as you did Halastjarna's."
Saffron looked at Thor in shock.
"Thor, is what my father said true? Did you and my aunt…" She shook her head at the realization and started over. "Did you love my aunt, and discard her? Did you so break her heart? Would you do the same to me? I have heard tales of your father's exploits, but thought better of you!"
Thor shook his head and sighed.
"I am not All-Father Odin, but once I was young and unwise in my...affairs. Saffron, I could not, and would not, act so shamefully with you. I court you honestly. Your aunt has forgiven me, I think. It was a long time ago, and you were not yet born. What I feel for you is something I have never felt for another."
Ra laughed without humor.
"Never? You did not feel so, even for your human lover?"
Thor turned and pinned Ra with hard eyes.
"My feelings for Jane Foster were real, but we both understood, eventually, that we could not be together. Her life will flicker and be extinguished in a short time: she cannot live in Asgard. Our breakup was agonizing, but it was best for us both. You should mind your own affairs, Ra. Wouldst tell me you have never sported with another woman, nor loved another, than your bound mate? Nay, do not put on a mask to deceive me. My brother is the god of all the liars, and knows the art better than you." He turned back to Saffron. "I feel for you Saffron, and it is no mere lust of the flesh. My heart is stronger then that. I feel pulled to you, and I do not know why. I do feel as if I am falling in love with you. This is no mere sport that I seek with you."
Saffron's anger and confusion flared at both men, and in a flash of fire she vanished.
Loki walked softly up to Isis, wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her gently on the neck. He nuzzled her in the ear, gently, and heard her breath hitch.
"Darling, is this really what you want? Are you healed enough for this?" He turned her around, gently, to look into her eyes. "I wish not to cause you any more pain or injury, nor to alarm you with our play."
Isis twined her arms around Loki's neck and kissed him gently on the lips.
"I want this," she whispered, "only, let us go…slowly?"
Loki smiled down at his bonded mate.
"Slow it is, then." He bent down, scooped her into his arms, and carried her to their bed. "Slow indeed," he murmured, nibbling at her neck, "but never boring."